System and method for bidirectional trust between downloaded applications and mobile devices including a secure charger and malware scanner

• US 8,584,243 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meridian Technology Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kaprica Security, Inc.
• Inventors: Britton, Douglas, Wesie, Andrew M., Pak, Brian S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyzocha, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/361,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20130117854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 726/24, 713/188
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/567 using dedicated hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations

Abstract

A system and method are described that will enable mobile smart devices, such as a cellular phones, PDAs, or iPads, smartphones, mobile payment systems, mobile healthcare systems, handheld law enforcement systems, and other types of tablet devices, to trust download applications and for the download applications to trust the mobile smart devices onto which they are downloaded. The system and method enables charging a mobile smart device and while charging the mobile smart device scans for malware and other viruses in the applications and the operating system on the mobile smart device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for electrically charging an electronic device and conducting an integrity analysis scan of the electronic device during at least a portion of the time period the computer-implemented system electrically charges the electronic device, comprising:

a housing for enclosing the computer-implemented system;

a power source connector for connecting the computer-implemented system to a power source;

an electrical power converter connected to the power source connector for converting the electrical power input to the power source connector to electrical power suitable for input to the electronic device for charging an electrical power storage means of the electronic device;

a controller for controlling operations of the computer-implemented system for at least conducting an integrity analysis scan of the electronic device with an electronic device baseline during at least a portion of the time period the computer-implemented system electrically charges the electronic device and for sending scan results to a backend server and receiving updates from the backend server;

a system memory connected to the controller for storing at least computer programs and data for at least conducting an integrity analysis scan of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline during at least a portion of the time period the computer-implemented system electrically charges the electronic device;

a secure digital card connected to the controller for storing at least operating system, computer-based security programs, and on-device database for the computer-implemented system at least conducting an integrity analysis scan of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline during at least a portion of the time period the computer-implemented system electrically charges the electronic device; and

an electronic device connector of the computer-implemented system for connecting the computer-implemented system to the electronic device for providing converted electrical power to the electronic device suitable for charging the electrical power storage means thereon and for bidirectional communications between the computer-implemented system and electronic device for at least conducting an integrity analysis scan of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline during at least a portion of the time period the computer-implemented system electrically charges the electronic device and providing scan results from the electronic device to the computer-implemented system for storage on the secure digital card.

2. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the power source includes an external power source.

3. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 2, wherein the power source connector includes a prong set for connecting to an electrical wall outlet or a cable extending from the computer-implemented system with a universal serial bus (“

USB”

) connector at a distal end thereof for connecting to a power source having a compatible USB connector.

4. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the power source converter includes a transformer for converting alternating current (“

AC”

) to direct current (“

DC”

).

5. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller includes a computer processing unit (“

CPU”

).

6. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the system memory includes a random access memory (“

RAM”

).

7. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 6, wherein the RAM includes storing running program code, data, and volatile system files.

8. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-based security programs include security analysis computer-based programs.

9. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented system includes scanning for at least one from a group ,that includes viruses, malicious software (“

malware”

), rootkits, counterfeit software, systems configuration and setting changes, and exploits.

10. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented system includes a status indicator to indicate whether returned scan results have identified at least one comparison difference in conducting the baseline scan of the electronic device thereby indicating the electronic device is compromised.

11. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 10, wherein the status indicator includes at least one light emitting diode (“

LED”

) light.

12. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 10, wherein the status indicator includes a liquid crystal display (“

LCD”

) that will indicate thereon at least whether returned scan results have identified at least one comparison difference in conducting the baseline scan of the electronic device thereby indicating the electronic device is compromised.

13. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a mobile smart device.

14. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 13, wherein the mobile smart device is selected from a group including at least cellular phones, personal digital assistants, tablet devices, smartphones, mobile payment systems, mobile healthcare systems, handheld law, and enforcement systems.

15. A computer-implemented system for conducting an integrity analysis scan of an electronic device using at least a quick scan followed by a comprehensive full scan, comprising:

a housing for enclosing the computer-implemented system;

an internal power source for the powering computer-implemented system;

a controller for controlling operations of the computer-implemented system for at least the quick scan and comprehensive full scan for conducting the integrity analysis of the electronic device with, an electronic device baseline and wherein the comprehensive full scan includes a reboot of the electronic device into a trusted operating system to perform an integrity analysis while an electronic device operating system is not running;

a system memory connected to the controller for storing at least computer programs and data for conducting the quick scan and comprehensive full scan for conducting the integrity analysis of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline;

a secure digital card connected to the controller for storing at least the electronic device operating system, computer-based security programs, and on-device database for conducting the quick scan and comprehensive full scan for conducting the integrity analysis of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline; and

a transceiver connected to the controller for wireless bidirectional communications between the computer-implemented system and the electronic device for conducting the quick scan and comprehensive scan for conducting the integrity analysis of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline and receiving scan results from the electronic device for storage on the secure digital card.

16. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 15, wherein the transceiver establishes a wireless connection with the electronic device using an 802.11 radio frequency (“

RF”

) connection or Bluetooth connection.

17. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 15, wherein, the internal power source which includes a battery.

18. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 15, wherein the controller includes a computer processing unit (“

CPU”

).

19. The computer--implemented system as recited in claim 15, wherein the system memory includes a random access memory (“

RAM”

).

20. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 19, wherein the RAM includes storing running program code, data, and volatile system files.

21. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 20, wherein the computer-based security programs include security analysis computer-based programs.

22. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer-implemented system includes scanning for at least one from a group that includes viruses, malicious software (“

malware”

), rootkits, counterfeit software, system configuration and setting changes, and exploits.

23. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer-implemented system includes a status indicator to indicate whether returned scan results have identified at least one comparison difference in conducting the baseline scan of on the electronic device thereby indicating the electronic device is compromised.

24. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 23, wherein the status indicator includes at least one light emitting diode (“

LED”

) light.

25. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 23, wherein the status indicator includes a liquid crystal display (“

LCD”

) that will indicate thereon at least whether returned scan results have identified at least the comparison difference in conducting the baseline scan of the electronic device thereby indicating the electronic device is compromised.

26. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 15, wherein the electronic device includes a mobile smart device.

27. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 26, wherein the mobile smart device is selected from a group of including at least cellular phones, personal digital assistants, tablet devices, smartphones, mobile payment systems, mobile healthcare systems, handheld law, and enforcement systems.

28. A computer-implemented method for electrically charging an electronic device and conducting an integrity analysis of the electronic device during at least a portion of the time period the computer-implemented system electrically charges the electronic device, comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting an electrical power source to an electrical power input connector of a charging/scanner device with the charging scanner device for conducting the integrity analysis of the electronic device with an electronic device baseline while electrically charging electronic device, with the charging/scanner device including at least an electrical power converter, a controller, a system memory, a secure digital card, and an electronic device connector for connecting the scanning/charging device to the electronic device;

(b) converting with the electrical power converter the electrical power input to the scanning/charging device to electrical power suitable for input to the electronic device for charging an electrical power storage means of the electronic device;

(c) connecting the electronic device connector of the scanning/charging device to the electronic device for

(1) providing to the electronic device converted electrical power suitable for charging electrical power storage means of the electronic device, and

(2) establishing bidirectional communications over the connected electronic device connector for at least conducting the integrity analysis of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline during at least a portion of the time period the scanning/charging device electrically charges the electronic device and receiving scan results from the electronic device;

(d) conducting the integrity analysis of the electronic device with the electronic device baseline and sending scan results to a backend server and receiving updates from the backend server under the control of the controller during at least a portion of the time period the scanning/charging device electrically charges the electronic device according to,

(1) computer programs and data stored in a system memory, and

(2) an operating system, computer-based security programs, and on-device database on a secure digital card;

(e) receiving at the scanning/charging device integrity analysis results from the electronic device over the connected electronic device connector; and

(f) displaying the integrity analysis results using a status indicator on the scanning charging device.

29. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the status indicator includes at least one light emitting diode (“

LED”

).

30. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the status indicator includes a liquid crystal display (“

LCD”

) that will indicate thereon at least whether the returned scan results have identified at least one comparison difference in conducting the scan of the electronic device thereby indicating the electronic device is compromised.

31. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the method includes scanning the electronic device for viruses during at least a portion of the time period the scanning/charging device electrically charges the electronic device.